The app is still a Beta release, meaning your feedback is welcome to help make it perfect via the feedback link in the app. Once it is installed, select the photos you wish to order, press "Add to Cart" to put them in your shopping cart, and when you are ready to order, press "Go to Cart" to open the shopping cart and complete the order. The order is sent to us at Persnickety Prints, just as any other order you place using your online photo account.

Ordering Facebook photos is a great way to preserve your memories so you can enjoy your Facebook photos anytime, even when you are not in front of a computer.

I recommend ordering smaller sized prints from Facebook. Images are compressed when posted online and are usually too low to print anything larger than a 5x7 or 8x10.

Facebook recently enabled a new feature that allows you to upload high resolution photos, so next time you upload to Facebook, choose the high resolution option for better quality prints.

With 3 boys, and 1 husband, I cannot seem to find much time to do anything. Fancy Schmancy scrapbook layouts are fun, but slim these days.

We took a family trip back in April. I snapped around 500 pictures (with an Olympus Point and Shoot... 3rd one that has fallen in water). I still haven't *gasp* printed or scrapbooked any of these, it just seems so overwhelming. I don't want to only pick a few pictures, there are so many great ones to choose from! Welcome Picasa with open arms...

First of all, when you download Picasa, it starts reading your entire Hard Drive. You don't have to upload or import anything!

You can create a 12x12 scrapbook page in under 60 seconds. Not kidding!

Once you learn about all of the little buttons and tools, it is easy. Anyone can do it, and it's Free!
Here is how I QUICKLY scrapbooked our Family Vacation using Picasa:

First - I open up My Picasa, choose about 10-15 photo's, and create a Picasa "Collage".
Picasa automatically lays it all out for you. I used the Mosiac Collage option. You can choose your grid size, colors, even add your own background papers. I just wanted to fit as many pictures as possible, so I kept it simple.

Kenny is going to kill me when printing these layouts. The outside border is very small, of course he can do it, but I don't want him mad at me. Plus, I really like double page layouts in my book.
So.....
I found a cute scrappy QuickPage in my stash. With Photoshop Elements, I added my one vacation"highlight" photo.

I exported my collage from Picasa. In Photoshop Elements, I placed my collage over the .png QP, made the outside border thicker, and now I have a double page spread that flows much better, and Kenny will be happy.

TIP:

TIME is the number ONE reason why people don't archive their memories, and if you are even still reading this post... hooray! I could go on and on with tips on how to create your digital layouts with Picasa. Instead, for those of you that are interested, I will link up some places to find some. Once you play around with Picasa, you will fly through those pics that are stacking up on your hard drive!

#2) Printing Picasa Layouts
This is the best! Life needs to be simple! Check this out... create your Picasa layout, send it to your Picasa Web Account, and just click Print! It will send your layout straight to us!
OR
While in your Persnickety Prints account, you can import photos from Picasa and order prints!
No need to export, import, blah, blah. In fact, you aren't even touching your own hard drive space!

#3) The Properties Panel

One of my new favorite features in Picasa 3.8 is the Properties Panel.

When you take a photo with any kind of camera, Picasa will read it, and let you know what settings you used. You can now tell someone "how you did it" by reading your camera settings.

Nikon D90 focal length 90mm. ISO 320 1/25s f 5.6

Ok.. just one more favorite..#3.5) Face Movie

Say you want to create a slide show for a birthday party or wedding. Maybe you have only have two days and all you have is a bunch of group photos. Don’t panic! With the new Face Movie, you can quickly create a slide show featuring that special someone, centered around that special someone, complete with transitions, music and captions. Picasa face tagging does all of the hard work for you!

Face Movie analyzes the faces in your selected photos to find the smoothest transitions across facial expressions and poses. Unlike a movie presentation, Face Movie overlays the most similar facial expressions in each photo on top of each other to create the smoothest transitions. To create a Face Movie, follow these steps.

Thanks for reading the longest post ever! The best thing about Picasa, is anyone can use it! No more excuses for family and friends to not TRY digital!

As always, you can email us with any questions. info@persnicketyprints.com

October 15, 2010

The 26 quick and easy layouts was the easy part, it was how to put it together that was tough!

I don't like photo books. This is how my photo books look after time.

With Persnickety Prints photo paper, images always look their best, they are archival, waterproof, scratch & fade resistant, etc, etc.
Plus, if I need to change or replace a page, it's easy, I just print one page!

October 12, 2010

We all know cameras are cool, but how much do you know about camera hardware and accessories? If the answer is "not much," read on!

Most camera hardware is designed for SLR cameras, and not point and shoot cameras. But, I don't like to make people feel left out! For those of you out there with a point and shoot camera, you can still pick up some cool accessories like camera bags, tripods, and media cards to enhance your digital photography. Most camera hardware options contradict the benefits of a point and shoot camera anyway, namely: convenience, ease of use, and small size for portability. When you start adding hardware, things become a little more advanced.

For those of you who have SLR cameras (or hope to get one this holiday season), here are a few hardware options you might be interested in:

External Flash
Your SLR camera already comes with a built in flash, which is fine for snapshots and candid photos, but really only work well when the subject is within 15 feet. Also, the built in flashes almost always give people red eye, because the flash and the lens are so close together and are pointed at the same angle when you take a photo.

An external flash allows you to move the flash away from the lens and use a different angle to light your shot. Even moving it 6-12 inches away from the lens can eliminate red eye, though if you are shooting from a long distance away, you will need at least a few feet between the lens and the flash.

External flashes also allow you to use a technique the pros use all the time: bounce the flash. Tip the flash up so the light hits the ceiling in an indoor shot. The light will bounce off the ceiling and fall onto the subjects, rather than shoot straight at them like a built in flash. This gives the photo a more natural lighting effect. Or, use a rubber band to attach a business card to the top of the external flash to reflect the light up and forward at the same time. This enhances the light in your photos even more and eliminates the dark eye effect (the dark eye effect is when the eyes have a shadowy look from the light coming down from above). Your photos will get exponentially better with just this one technique.

Lastly, if you buy an external flash, purchase a sync cord, which lets you move the flash several feet away from the camera. A sync cord automatically triggers the flash when you take a photo, regardless of where the flash is in relation to the camera.

Lenses
Different lenses are one of the reasons pros use SLRs as opposed to point and shoot cameras. Most SLRs come with a zoom lens you can attach and remove, but there are plenty of other options out there. A wide angle lens (18mm, 24mm, 28mm, or 35mm) expands the horizons in your shot and makes photos appear more like how our eyes see things. This is a great lens for nature landscapes or for shooting in a room.

A portrait lens (105mm or 135mm) shortens the background and gives peoples' faces the correct proportions that often appear slightly incorrect with other lenses. As the name suggests, this lens is good for portraits and close up shots.

Long lenses you often see sports photographers using help you get closer to your subject. But, they do more than bring you closer to the action; they also help isolate the subject by throwing the background out of focus.

As far as pricing is concerned, you get what you pay for. Most high quality lenses are several hundred dollars or more. The less expensive ones let less light in than the more expensive ones. They are still quality lenses, but are not as versatile. Visit your local store to see what lenses are available. Bring in your camera to try them out.

October 7, 2010

Not only are 2011 Calendar designs already hitting web shelves, people are PRINTING their 2011 Calendar gifts as I type this! I am lucky if I have mine finished by December 31st. Feeling the pressure here!

Back when I started digital scrapbooking in 2007, Shabby Miss Jenn Designs was one of the first Digital Shops I found, and was in awe! I still wonder where she can come up with all of this great stuff.

October 3, 2010

Ok, so you have seen custom calendar "toppers" around the digital world. Some are layered for .psd use, some are .png. The question is, once you create your calendar "toppers" in your digital program .... what do you do next?

We will show you how to make your own customized Calendars this year with these easy steps!

October 2, 2010

The most difficult part of my job is explaining to people in a nice, calm, and unbiased way WHY they should be printing their cherished memories on professional PHOTO PAPER. Not the photo paper that you buy at Target or Walmart and insert into your inkjet printer. Real, true photographic, silver halide photo paper...

Stan did just that. Stan is my new hero.

Without our knowledge, Stan writes this beautiful blog post about this very thing, why it is so important to be educated about your prints. It's an exquisite piece.

Do you know what an electrostatic print is? Find out here... in all of its beauty.

P.S. Stan and Jenn have been in this business for longer than some of you have been alive (sorry guys). Not only do they know their stuff... they teach it too! Try one of their interactive classes at Scrappers' Workshop! You will love it.